Town Square

New city property a 'food forest' in the making?

Original post made
on Jun 28, 2013

It may be hard to imagine walking into a park in the heart of Silicon Valley and being able to eat freely from an abundance of fruit trees -- but that may soon become a reality with the city's purchase of a lush, one-acre property on North Rengstorff Avenue.

Posted by mv gardener
a resident of Blossom Valley
on Jun 28, 2013 at 5:31 pm

kudos to the city council for buying this property and retaining it for public use. Thank you firefighters for your help in cleaning up the property. i am looking forward to going to this park and walking through the fruit bearing orchard and gardens. thank you so much...!!!

Posted by Doug Pearson
a resident of Blossom Valley
on Jun 29, 2013 at 7:58 am

Thank you City Council, thank you firefighters and others helping with the cleanup, and thank you Mrs Stieper for selling your property to the City instead of a developer.

I welcome the City Council's plan to make the property a park and recommend that it be named Stieper Park.

I like the idea of using it *also* as a community orchard and garden. Yes, Alex, there are way too many people in the city for everyone to get even a single fruit from even that many trees, and of course the trees will be picked clean--I hope. I also hope the trees will be picked properly, not locust-style, without damaging the trees or fruit in the process and that even the birds, squirrels and other animals get their share.

Posted by Otto Maddox
a resident of Monta Loma
on Jun 29, 2013 at 11:05 am

Did I miss something? Did the City Council actually VOTE to make this property a park? Or are we all just making assumptions here? Until they vote on it, and the money is spent, anything can happen.

I'd like to see this made into a park as well. I don't know about keeping all those fruit trees though. They are messy and expensive to maintain. Plus they tend to be small and provide little usable shade.

Posted by community member
a resident of Slater
on Jun 30, 2013 at 5:15 pm

Love the idea of a park that 'nourishes' the heart and soul of our community. Please, let's set aside some space for a community garden as well. So many people want to have a direct experience with the earth and growing their own food. And so many of us do not have yards to use for garden space.

All for a place that allows interconnection with natural world - verses just another grassy/play structure style arrangement. Good question is it actual purchased. I do not forget the promise that was made when the Grand Road project was in debate to have some kind of a mini-farm in Mountain View. Seems Sunnyvale's Full Circle Farm is doing very well and Living Classroom program expanding in schools - seems partnership could be a possibility. ANd the Community Service Agency, and Village Harvest also have an overlap - lets see if the energy will arise! Good start!